When you start out on any career path, understanding the benefits and drawbacks of working in that industry is pivotal. If you don’t do your research in advance, you could sink your time, effort and money into something that may not be a good fit for you; conversely, you could also miss out on great opportunities because of misconceptions about that particular line of work.
The majority of individuals who enter the world of dog training choose to do so because of a long love for man’s best friend, usually beginning in their formative years. A genuine passion and interest is a good basis for selecting a career path – but it is not the be all, end all. While spending all of your waking hours around dogs may seem like the ideal life, becoming a successful dog trainer requires an immense amount of hard work. But do the pros outweigh the cons? In this article, we’ll look at both sides of the equation.
Pros of being a dog trainer
There are numerous benefits to working as a dog trainer. From job satisfaction to ‘futureproofing’ your career, here are a few of the reasons why you may decide that dog training is the correct choice for you.
Pursue your passion
If you grew up around animals when you were a child, then you may have acquired a lifelong passion for man’s best friend. Becoming a dog trainer gives you the opportunity to work alongside dogs on a daily basis – helping to improve their lives, and those of their guardians. Remember, it is likely that you will have decades of work ahead of you – isn’t it better to spend that time doing something that you genuinely enjoy?
Rewarding job
There’s little doubt that dog training is very beneficial to society as a whole. A pet dog trainer working to manage complex behavioral issues is helping to keep the dog – and those around the dog – safe. A service dog trainer can help a person with disabilities to live a higher quality of life by training the service dog to complete various tasks. Working dogs like Police K9s and Search and Rescue dogs help to keep communities safe and locate missing individuals in disaster zones. No matter which dog training route you take, your work will make a difference.
Potential for growth & different career routes
You’ll often hear dog trainers talk about the everyday learning experiences that come from working with dogs. While this can sometimes be challenging, it also provides amazing opportunities for growth. Not only are no two dogs the same, but there is an abundance of different ways of working with dogs that fall under the dog training umbrella. Want to specialize in training patrol dogs for law enforcement? That is an option. Prefer to work with service dogs for people with mobility issues? That’s an option too. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals of how dogs learn, it is possible to niche down into an area of dog training that you are passionate about.
Flexibility/manage your own schedule
Many dog trainers are self-employed. When starting out, you will likely be a sole proprietor working on your own; as time progresses, you may have the opportunity to bring on employees or contractors. One of the major benefits of being self-employed is the flexibility it offers, creating a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle and goals. There’s no asking for days off or wondering when you can squeeze in that long weekend at the beach – it’s simply a case of making your schedule work for you.
Growing industry
As pet ownership continues to grow – particularly in the United States – the demand for dog training grows at the same pace. It seems that there will always be a requirement for a skilled dog trainer, and even technological advances and AI are unlikely to be able to replace a human being. Having confidence that your career will still exist in 20 or 30 years’ time makes pursuing dog training a more attractive proposition.
Cons of being a dog trainer
While it is evident that there are so many advantages of working as a dog trainer, it would be remiss of us to fail to mention some of the drawbacks. There is a perception – particularly outside the dog training world – that being a dog trainer is “easy”, because you simply get to work with dogs all day, every day. Working with dogs constantly can be both a blessing and a curse, and there are other things to consider, too.
Competitive industry
Yes, dog training is a growing industry – but it also means there is a lot of competition from other trainers who are looking to win new clients. In busier metro areas, there will be dozens of dog trainers who will be competing for their piece of the pie. If you’re going down the self-employed route, you will need to be prepared to put the work in to establish your business and differentiate it from your competitors, using proven marketing techniques to build your brand. Getting a great education is another way to put yourself ahead of your competition.
Physically and emotionally draining
Dog training is hard work, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It takes a physical toll – larger dogs can weigh in excess of 100lbs, and walking them on a leash when they’re tugging and pulling your shoulders out of their sockets can be tough. In addition, dog training takes an emotional toll. More than ever in our modern society, people care about their animals, and that can bring a level of stress to make sure that you achieve the results that the owners are expecting.
Interpersonal skills
“Well, being a dog trainer sounds great because you don’t have to talk to humans – you only work with dogs!” may sound appealing, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Dogs don’t come for training by themselves, after all – a human initiates the process and signs the dog up for a program. The human has to schedule the training sessions at a time that works for them. The human then brings the dog to the training sessions and may ask countless questions about their dog’s behavior. The human then needs to understand how and why their dog is reacting in a certain way, and must be able to troubleshoot after the program has concluded. As a dog trainer, teaching the dog is just one part of the process; you must be able to communicate effectively with the dog’s owner or handler to be a successful trainer – and this means that good interpersonal skills are essential.
Long hours
Self-employment may bring flexibility – a huge benefit – but it also means that if you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Being a dog trainer can mean long hours. It can mean days spent rushing from one appointment to the next, or running over with a dog who is really struggling with behavioral issues. Clients will text or call on evenings and weekends with new problems they are encountering. You can set your own schedule, of course, but you shouldn’t anticipate that dog training will be a breeze. It’s not your regular 9-5 job.
In conclusion
As with virtually every career path you can imagine, there are pros and cons to being a dog trainer. We won’t sugarcoat it and tell you that there are no disadvantages – we’ve been candid in this article about some of the challenges associated with this career path. What you must weigh up is if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
For many of the students who come through our programs at the School for Dog Trainers, they understand how a good education can give them a huge competitive advantage when they run their own business after graduating (not to mention how formal education in dog training correlates with higher earning potential). Their education, combined with their passion for helping dogs and the rewarding nature of the work involved, means that they are set up for success as they try to build a career in this industry.
Only you can decide for yourself what the right option is, taking into account your own circumstances and situation. However, one thing is for sure – there are few choices that can offer as much to you as dog training does.